Sacrifices to Kourotrophos

Tonight, at sundown, we give sacrifices to Kourotrophos, Hecate, Artemis. They are connected through the title Kourotrophos. We pour libations, but do not take part. I hope that you all have a good one and I hope that your month was wonderful.

Hymn to Helios

This is the hymn to Helios. Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.



And now, O Muse Calliope, daughter of Zeus, begin to sing of glowing Helios whom mild-eyed Euryphaessa, the far-shining one, bare to the Son of Earth and starry Heaven. For Hyperion wedded glorious Euryphaessa, [5] his own sister, who bare him lovely children, rosy-armed Eos and rich-tressed Selene and tireless Helios who is like the deathless gods. As he rides in his chariot, he shines upon men and deathless gods, and piercingly he gazes with his eyes [10] from his golden helmet. Bright rays beam dazzlingly from him, and his bright locks streaming from the temples of his head gracefully enclose his far-seen face: a rich, fine-spun garment glows upon his body and flutters in the wind: and stallions carry him.

[15] Then, when he has stayed his golden-yoked chariot and horses, [15a] he rests there upon the highest point of heaven, until he marvelously drives them down again through heaven to Ocean.

Hail to you, lord! Freely bestow on me substance that cheers the heart. And now that I have begun with you, I will celebrate the race of mortal men half-divine whose deeds the Muses have showed to mankind.

Eleusinia (2015)

Tonight, at sundown, is Eleusinia. If' I've done an entry for this then I'm sorry for repeating myself. It's a four day celebration of games held every four years. However, in this day and age, we do it every year. How I celebrate is by playing games. No matter if it's board games or games on the computer. I try and keep things competitive. We might not have the kinds of games that the Greeks had, but we have games.

I hope that you all have a good one and have fun.

Hymn to Earth, Mother of All

I believe that I've already written this down, but I decided to give it it's own entry. Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.


I will sing of well-founded Earth, mother of all, eldest of all beings. She feeds all creatures that are in the world, all that go upon the goodly land, and all that are in the paths of the seas, and all that fly: all these are fed of her store. [5] Through you, O queen, men are blessed in their children and blessed in their harvests, and to you it belongs to give means of life to mortal men and to take it away. Happy is the man whom you delight to honor! He has all things abundantly: his fruitful land is laden with corn, his pastures are covered

[10] with cattle, and his house is filled with good things. Such men rule orderly in their cities of fair women: great riches and wealth follow them: their sons exult with ever-fresh delight, and their daughters in flower-laden bands [15] play and skip merrily over the soft flowers of the field. Thus is it with those whom you honor O holy goddess, bountiful spirit.

Hail, Mother of the gods, wife of starry Heaven; freely bestow upon me for this my song substance that cheers the heart! And now I will remember you and another song also.

Forced to Budget Practice

The annual letter that 'lets you know how much money your landlord wants to suck out of you' came in and it's nearly $600.00. Yeah, you heard me right. We have to pay nearly $600.00 a month for rent. In the spirit of high rent I was thinking about ways to practice on a budget. This amount makes it clear that statues, even if my mother allowed more to come in, is clearly off the table. One of the blessed things about living where I'm at is that there's a Dollar Tree and a library nearby.

I'm thinking about running off images of the gods and taping them to cheap $1.00 candles. I'm already planning on buying candle labels and prayer cards this week. I'm going to be adding seven day candles as well. When the winter months come upon us they won't be lit so that I don't use them up. I'm getting the label that has all the gods on them. I'm going to be doing plenty of 'picking pennies off the ground and putting them in my pocket' during the winter months.

I'm going to be praying to the gods that this seasonal months will not be as bad as they are claiming that it will be. I know that the gods will be with me and I'm not worried.

Remember Pompeii, Once Again

Once again the time has come around to honor those that died on this date. This is the 1,936th anniversary of the destruction of both Pompeii and Herculaneum. It was a sad time and one that can happen anywhere at any time. The lessons that we have learned from this disaster has helped countless other countries that have these monsters. I'm going to be pouring libations to Hades, Persephone, and Hermes and doing a prayer.

I hope that you all have a good day and thanks for reading.

Making My Space Simple

This post is hard to write for many reasons. One: I want my words to come out correctly and not in the area of bashing. I know that bashing others is something that most Hellenists don't approve of. Of course if it's the truth then it's not bashing. Early this week I had to make changes to my altar based on, once again, her dislike for statues. Sometimes I wonder if she's got bipolar or something. Not that I'm attacking those that have it.

For several months she says nothing about statues and then she watches some program and, once again, she doesn't like statues. This time around, however, she didn't say that they had to go. Just that statues get between you and G-d. I was thinking about how I could have a altar, or space, that wouldn't rile her up. I remember Baring the Aegis has a altar that doesn't have statues. She just has a box with a candle for Hestia. So I decided to do something like that.

I have a box, which I keep coins in, a candle holder with a homemade candle in it. Yes, I've gotten into making my own candles which I consider part of my practice, a picture that I got off the net from Pompeii, a candle sniffer, one of those lighters for candles that you use when the candle burns down into the container and you can't reach it, and an incense burner. I set it up and waited to see what would happen.

Glory to the gods, she said that she liked it. There were no statues, just things that I already had or things that I had bought this month. So I'm using the space and not having statues. I would like to note that she didn't tell me that I couldn't practice, just that she doesn't like statues. I consider the space to be much more simpler and a heck of a lot easier to clean up. So I'm going to keep it this way and I will admit, I happen to like it just as much as she did.

Note: I'm talking about my mother.

Hymn to Hestia

This is the hymn to Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.

 

Hestia, you who tend the holy house of the lord Apollo, the Far-shooter at goodly Pytho, with soft oil dripping ever from your locks, come now into this house, come, having one mind [5] with Zeus the all-wise —draw near, and withal bestow grace upon my song.



Hestia, in the high dwellings of all, both deathless gods and men who walk on earth, you have gained an everlasting abode and highest honor: glorious is your portion and your right. [5] For without you mortals hold no banquet, —where one does not duly pour sweet wine in offering to Hestia both first and last.
And you, Slayer of Argus, Son of Zeus and Maia, messenger of the blessed gods, bearer of the golden rod,

[10] giver of good, be favorable and help us, you and Hestia, the worshipful and dear. [9] Come and dwell in this glorious house in friendship together; [11] for you two, well knowing the noble actions of men, aid on their wisdom and their strength.

Hail, Daughter of Cronos, and you also, Hermes, bearer of the golden rod! Now I will remember you and another song also.

Hymn to Poseidon

This is the hymn to Poseidon, god of the sea. Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.

 



  I begin to sing about Poseidon, the great god, mover of the earth and fruitless sea, god of the deep who is also lord of Helicon and wide Aegae. A two-fold office the gods allotted you, O Shaker of the Earth, [5] to be a tamer of horses and a saviour of ships!

Hail, Poseidon, Holder of the Earth, dark-haired lord! O blessed one, be kindly in heart and help those who voyage in ships!

Been a Hellenist for One Year and So has this Blog

Today marks one year as a Hellenist and one year that this blog has been up. I personally can't believe that it's been a whole year since I started this blog and blogged about all sorts of different things. It has been one amazing journey and I'm glad that all of you have come on here and spent even a short amount of time reading my blogs and liking them.

I look forward to another year of blog writing and going through my journey's. Thanks, everyone, for being here and following me.

Hymn to Hephaestus

This is the hymn to Hephaestus, the forge god and the husband to Aphrodite. Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.

 


 Sing, clear-voiced Muse, of Hephaestus famed for inventions. With bright-eyed Athena he taught men glorious crafts throughout the world, —men who before used to dwell in caves in the mountains like wild beasts. [5] But now that they have learned crafts through Hephaestus the famed worker, easily they live a peaceful life in their own houses the whole year round.

Be gracious, Hephaestus, and grant me success and prosperity!

The Athenian Month of Metageitnion Begins (2015)

The Athenian month of Metageitnion begins (sorry for any misspellings). Below are the holidays that are observed.

August 15: Nourmina
August 16: Agathos Daemon
August 17: Athena
August 18: Aphrodite, Hermes, Hercules, Eros.
August 20: Artemis
August 21: Apollo
August 22: Poseidon and Theseus
August 29-September 1: Eleusinia
August 29: Full Moon (Honor Selene and Artemis)
August 30: Sacrifices to Kourotrophos, Hecate, Artemis
September 2: Sacrifices to the Heroines.
September 3: Sacrifices to Hera Thelkhinia
September 8: Sacrifices to Zeus Epoptes
September 12: Libations to Hermes
September 13: Hena Kai Nea

I hope that you all have a wonderful month and may the gods bless you.

Nena Kai Nea (August 2015)

Tonight is the New Moon and the end of the Athenian month of Hekatoinbaion (once again sorry if I make any misspelling mistakes). We honor Hecate and we clean and purify our spaces and house. This is the last day of Panathenaia and I hope that yours was wonderful. Enjoy and may the gods bless you for another month.

Hymn to Pan

This is the hymn to Pan, the son of Hermes. Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.





Muse, tell me about Pan, the dear son of Hermes, with his goat's feet and two horns —a lover of merry noise. Through wooded glades he wanders with dancing nymphs who foot it on some sheer cliff's edge, [5] calling upon Pan, the shepherd-god, long-haired, unkempt. He has every snowy crest and the mountain peaks and rocky crests for his domain; hither and thither he goes through the close thickets, now lured by soft streams, [10] and now he presses on amongst towering crags and climbs up to the highest peak that overlooks the flocks. Often he courses through the glistening high mountains, and often on the shouldered hills he speeds along slaying wild beasts, this keen-eyed god. Only at evening, [15] as he returns from the chase, he sounds his note, playing sweet and low on his pipes of reed: not even she could excel him in melody —that bird who in flower-laden spring pouring forth her lament utters honey-voiced song amid the leaves. At that hour the clear-voiced nymphs are with him and [20] move with nimble feet, singing by some spring of dark water, while Echo wails about the mountain-top, and the god on this side or on that of the choirs, or at times sidling into the midst, plies it nimbly with his feet. On his back he wears a spotted lynx-pelt, and he delights in high-pitched songs [25] in a soft meadow where crocuses and sweet-smelling hyacinths bloom at random in the grass.
They sing of the blessed gods and high Olympus and choose to tell of such an one as luck-bringing Hermes above the rest, how he is the swift messenger of all the gods, [30] and how he came to Arcadia, the land of many springs and mother of flocks, there where his sacred place is as god of Cyllene. For there, though a god, he used to tend curly-fleeced sheep in the service of a mortal man, because there fell on him and waxed strong melting desire to wed the rich-tressed daughter of Dryops, [35] and there he brought about the merry marriage. And in the house she bare Hermes a dear son who from his birth was marvellous to look upon, with goat's feet and two horns —a noisy, merry-laughing child. But when the nurse saw his uncouth face and full beard, she was afraid and sprang up and fled and left the child. [40] Then luck-bringing Hermes received him and took him in his arms: very glad in his heart was the god. And he went quickly to the abodes of the deathless gods, carrying his son wrapped in warm skins of mountain hares, and set him down beside Zeus [45] and showed him to the rest of the gods. Then all the immortals were glad in heart and Bacchic Dionysus in especial; and they called the boy Pan¹ because he delighted all their hearts.
And so hail to you, lord! I seek your favour with a song. And now I will remember you and another song also.

1 The name Pan is here derived fromπάντες“all.” Cp. Hesiod, Works and Days 80-82, Hymn to Aphrodite （v） 198, for the significance of personal names.

Anonymous. The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Homeric Hymns. Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. The Annenberg CPB/Project provided support for entering this text.

Panathenaia (2015)

Sorry if I misspelled the name of this holiday. This is the Panthenaia, which lasts from sundown today to the last day of the month. It always seems to go right into the New Moon every year. I hope that all of you have a good Panathenaia and may Athena bless all of you.

Hymn to Dioscuri

This is the hymn to Dioscuri. Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.




(Short Version)

Sing, clear-voiced Muse, of Castor and Polydeuces, the Tyndaridae, who sprang from Olympian Zeus. Beneath the heights of Taygetus stately Leda bare them, when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos had privily bent her to his will.

[5] Hail, children of Tyndareus, riders upon swift horses!

(A Bit Longer Version)

Bright-eyed Muses, tell of the Tyndaridae, the Sons of Zeus, glorious children of neat-ankled Leda, Castor the tamer of horses, and blameless Polydeuces. When Leda [5] had lain with the dark-clouded Son of Cronos, she bare them beneath the peak of the great hill Taygetus, —children who are deliverers of men on earth and of swift-going ships when stormy gales rage over the ruthless sea. Then the shipmen call upon the sons of great Zeus [10] with vows of white lambs, going to the forepart of the prow; but the strong wind and the waves of the sea lay the ship under water, until suddenly these two are seen darting through the air on tawny wings. Forthwith they allay the blasts of the cruel winds [15] and still the waves upon the surface of the white sea: fair signs are they and deliverance from toil. And when the shipmen see them they are glad and have rest from their pain and labour.

Hail, Tyndaridae, riders upon swift horses! Now I will remember you and another song also.

Hymn to Asclepius

This is the hymn to Asclepius, god of health and son of Apollo. Enjoy and I get this hymn from Perseus Digital Library.



The short version of this hymn is the only one available. Which I'm fine with. 


I begin to sing of Asclepius, son of Apollo and healer of sicknesses. In the Dotian plain fair Coronis, daughter of King Phlegyas, bare him, a great joy to men, a soother of cruel pangs.

[5] And so hail to you, lord: in my song I make my prayer to thee!